Organ, New Mexico
Encyclopedia
Organ is an unincorporated community
in Doña Ana County
, New Mexico
, United States
.
Organ was initially started as a mining camp prior to the American Civil War. However, it was not officially established as a community until 1883. President Chester A. Arthur granted the 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) parcel of land under congressional approval through a Federal Land Grant to the Organ Mining Corporation in 1883. Mining operations near Organ produced gold, lead, iron, silver and other minerals. Actual mining in the Organ Town Site was prohibited. The largest production mine was the "Torpedo Mine". Organ originally had its own school, constable's office, community center, town square, post office, hotel, business district and cemetery. Organ also had two large mining furnaces for smeltering ore and a geological assay office belonging to the mining company. In 1885 Organ's population was over 1500 people.
In the 1930s the mines in the area became inundated with water and were no longer feasible for use and with the onset of the Great Depression, mining operations ceased. However, with the opening of White Sands Missile Range and the testing of the Nuclear Bomb in 1945, Organ began to thrive again as a community providing homes and leisure services to military personnel and government contractors only a short distance from the main military post. Organ is very active supporting the military and White Sands Missile Range still.
Today, Organ is under the direct jurisdiction of Doña Ana County and the County Probate Judge as directed in the presidential order of 1883, because it was never incorporated. The state government recognizes Organ as an independent community under New Mexico State House Bill 523 of the 44th State Legislature in 1999, which recognized "Traditional Historic Communities." For this reason, Organ cannot be annexed by any municipality according to the provisions directed under this house bill.
Organ still has its own water and sewer utility service and other services are provided independently. The Organ Community Center was improved in 2008 and is still located on land of the original town square. The roads are paved and improvements are still ongoing through the supervision of Dona Ana County. The Organ Post Office is still in operation and Organ still has a few businesses. The cemetery is still in use and is called the "Slumbering Mountain Cemetery" with newer and historic graves. Educational services for children are provided by the Las Cruces Public Schools in Las Cruces, New Mexico (the original Organ schoolhouse has been closed for some time). Organ is still an active community and has a rich history. There are roughly 100 households in the area currently.
Organ lies at the southwest foothills of the San Augustin Mountains
, the terminal subrange at the south of the extensive San Andres Mountains
. Across San Augustin Pass on U.S. Route 70 in New Mexico at the south of the San Augustin's lie the Organ Mountains
.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Doña Ana County
Doña Ana County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*74.1% White*1.7% Black*1.5% Native American*1.1% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.0% Two or more races*18.5% Other races*65.7% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Organ was initially started as a mining camp prior to the American Civil War. However, it was not officially established as a community until 1883. President Chester A. Arthur granted the 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) parcel of land under congressional approval through a Federal Land Grant to the Organ Mining Corporation in 1883. Mining operations near Organ produced gold, lead, iron, silver and other minerals. Actual mining in the Organ Town Site was prohibited. The largest production mine was the "Torpedo Mine". Organ originally had its own school, constable's office, community center, town square, post office, hotel, business district and cemetery. Organ also had two large mining furnaces for smeltering ore and a geological assay office belonging to the mining company. In 1885 Organ's population was over 1500 people.
In the 1930s the mines in the area became inundated with water and were no longer feasible for use and with the onset of the Great Depression, mining operations ceased. However, with the opening of White Sands Missile Range and the testing of the Nuclear Bomb in 1945, Organ began to thrive again as a community providing homes and leisure services to military personnel and government contractors only a short distance from the main military post. Organ is very active supporting the military and White Sands Missile Range still.
Today, Organ is under the direct jurisdiction of Doña Ana County and the County Probate Judge as directed in the presidential order of 1883, because it was never incorporated. The state government recognizes Organ as an independent community under New Mexico State House Bill 523 of the 44th State Legislature in 1999, which recognized "Traditional Historic Communities." For this reason, Organ cannot be annexed by any municipality according to the provisions directed under this house bill.
Organ still has its own water and sewer utility service and other services are provided independently. The Organ Community Center was improved in 2008 and is still located on land of the original town square. The roads are paved and improvements are still ongoing through the supervision of Dona Ana County. The Organ Post Office is still in operation and Organ still has a few businesses. The cemetery is still in use and is called the "Slumbering Mountain Cemetery" with newer and historic graves. Educational services for children are provided by the Las Cruces Public Schools in Las Cruces, New Mexico (the original Organ schoolhouse has been closed for some time). Organ is still an active community and has a rich history. There are roughly 100 households in the area currently.
Organ lies at the southwest foothills of the San Augustin Mountains
San Augustin Mountains
The San Augustin Mountains are a small mountain subrange at the southern terminus of the San Andres Mountains east of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Organ lies at the southwest foothills; the townsite, White Sands, NM lies to the southeast at the southwest of the Tularosa Valley.-Description:The San...
, the terminal subrange at the south of the extensive San Andres Mountains
San Andres Mountains
The San Andres Mountains are a mountain range in the southwestern U.S. state of New Mexico, in the counties of Socorro, Sierra, and Doña Ana. The range extends about 75 miles north to south, but are only about 12 miles wide at their widest...
. Across San Augustin Pass on U.S. Route 70 in New Mexico at the south of the San Augustin's lie the Organ Mountains
Organ Mountains
The Organ Mountains are a rugged mountain range in southern New Mexico in the Southwestern United States. They lie east of the city of Las Cruces, in Doña Ana County.-Geography:...
.